's a mandate here? >> i don't. because then they would haveputnancypelosiincharge of the house of representatives. see, i think these ideas that we talked about, i think they're popular ideas. this is a very close election. >> despite a scoreboard of 332 to 206, congressman paul ryan refuses to admit that president obama might have a mandate to push his agenda, a big part of which includes raising taxes on high earners. this week the president is holding court with ally and opponents to discuss the upcoming fiscal cliff. yesterday, at a meeting with progressive leaders the president said he would not give in to republican demands to extend all of the bush tax cuts. today he will meet with business leaders. the discussions underscore the president's opposing constituencies, but according to new york magazine's jonathan chaits the president has to do what he want -- joining us now from washington, "new york" magazine columnist by god jonathan chait. hello, my friend. >> thank you. >> jonathan, so the president met with progressive leaders yesterday and i think gave them some welc

or cars. president obama and lawmakers are cautiously optimistic about a budget deal.butnancypelosisaysit must include tax hikes for the wealthy. we have the latest. >> reporter: shannon, the house minority leader, nancy pelosi, sits at the negotiates ing table with the leaders, trying to steer the country away from the fiscal cliff. she says he will not accept a deal that does not include tax rate increases for the wealthiest americans. but she also said she thinks negotiators have enough of a sense of urgenc tow get a deal done by the middle of december. >> we are all grownups. we have a responsibility to the american people. the elements for an agreement are there. time is of the essence, the quicker we do tthe more confidence we instill, the better it is for the economy and the american people. >> reporter: republicans, too, have expressed optimism that the fiscal cliff can be avoided and are open to signing legislation that includes new sources of revenue. but the president wants to raise most of that new money with $1.6 trillion over a decade. republicans are not likely to g